Requiem of Summer
by musokasakura
Summary: The final installment of the Evil Torrent Saga. Life is a battle field and Natsumi has faced it alone, but what will happen when her father confronts her and things spiral out of control?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Mr. Rei Fuan, from what I see you are failing this class," Mrs. Asai said, looking over some papers. "On the last test you scored a twenty-eight and because of that you went from a C to a D."

"A D?!" Kento asked in shock.

"I'm afraid so."

Kento sat in front of his English professor in shock. Mrs. Asai called him over to her desk after class was let out. Sure, he wasn't doing that well because of all the events that had happened recently; not to mention English wasn't exactly his strong subject in school.

Mrs. Asai cleared her throat and looked at Kento with intense eyes. "You can do extra credit to bring your grade up."

"I can?"

"Sure. All you need to do is write an essay in English."

"An essay… great."

"You can do it."

Kento got up from his seat and headed toward the door. "Thank you, Mrs. Asai. I will do the essay."

"Glad to hear it. Have a good day, Mr. Rei Fuan."

Kento walked out of the literature building and headed for the big tree where he usually ate lunch with his friends.

"Hey, Kento!" Ryo called out, running towards him.

"Hey, Ryo," Kento said in a monotone voice.

"What's wrong with you?" Ryo asked, now walking beside his friend.

"School sucks!" Kento shouted.

Ryo laughed. "No one said it would be easy."

"I have to write an essay, in English! I'm failing my English class horribly and it's for extra credit."

"Good luck with that."

"I hate English!"

"I could help you," Hana offered as she approached the guys, with Natsumi by her side.

"You cut your hair," Ryo noticed.

"Do you like it? Natsumi asked, "I had to persuade her. She didn't want it cut _too_ short, so we had the hair stylist cut up to just below the chin."

"Not bad, but I liked the long hair look," Kento said winking.

"My head feels lighter," Hana smiled.

"I guess that's a plus," Kento shrugged. "So, what was that about helping me?"

"I'm good in English."

"Sweet!"

"Where is Cye?" Ryo asked.

"He had to see a counselor," Hana replied. "He'll meet us under the tree."

"Lunch time!" Kento smiled.

"Ryo, I made you a bento box," Natsumi said, blushing.

"I was looking forward to this," Ryo said. "You are an amazing cook."

"Not as good as Cye," Natsumi said, her face getting more and more red.

"Hana has one too," Kento said, eyeing the box that was in her hands.

"Um… Natsumi kind of helped me," Hana said, "I'm not a good cook." Hana blushed as she looked at the ground.

"Aw. I wish I had a girl to make me yummy boxed lunches," Kento said mournfully, putting his hands behind his head.

"I'm sure there is a girl for you," Natsumi said.

Kento grinned and started walking toward the tree.

"Ah, good. I didn't miss anything," Cye said, running toward the group.

"What's up, Cye?" Kento asked.

"I had to speak to someone about one of my classes."

"What's wrong?" Natsumi asked.

"I'm dropping a class," Cye said.

"Not surprising. You are taking six classes," Ryo laughed.

"Too much?" Cye grinned.

"Just a bit," Ryo smiled back.

"Um… Cye?" Hana asked shyly.

"Yes?" Cye asked.

"I made you a bento," Hana said, blushing.

"This is the first time I've seen Hana act so… girly," Kento said.

"Do you want a fat lip" Hana smirked as she handed the bento box to Cye. "I've always been girly."

"Thank you," Cye smiled, taking the bento box from Hana.

"I had trouble with some things. Cooking isn't my forte."

"You can cook eggs," Ryo protested.

"I can cook some things like eggs and rice," Hana said.

"Don't tell me that's all you eat?" Kento asked.

"When Cye isn't around, I eat a lot of eggs and rice."

"Man, if I had to live off of just eggs and rice, I would die."

As they talked, Cye sat down and opened the bento box. It wasn't the best bento he had seen; the white rice was in a perfect rectangle on the side and the yellow egg omelet looked good, but the rest of the contents looked… ugly. The little wieners that were badly shaped as octipi were burnt. There were a few pieces of cucumber sushi that were badly rolled; the cucumber pieces were falling out from the middle and the seaweed wrap wasn't on tight.

"I wanted to try making octipi out of wieners," Hana said as she sat down next to Cye. She took one in her hand and studied it. "I guess I failed. I couldn't even make sushi right.

"You are still learning," Cye said. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

"Sorry."

"If you want, I could teach you how to make tonight's dinner."

"I would like that," Hana smiled.

"Don't forget, you offered to help me with my essay," Kento said.

"I didn't forget," Hana said.

"We need to go grocery shopping," Ryo said. "All we have is a couple of things in the fridge."

"That's a good idea," Cye agreed, "I need to get ingredients for dinner."

"So, while you two go out, I can help Kento," Hana said.

"Do you want to come with us, Natsumi?" Ryo asked.

"I have a lot of things to do after school," Natsumi said. "I should be home around five."

"It's been a month today since we moved in together," Kento said.

"Hey! You're right," Ryo said.

Thanks to Mrs. Rei Fuan, Kento's mother, the five of them were able to purchase a house; it was a pretty big house that had four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Cye and Hana shared a room on the first story, while Kento and Ryo shared a room on the second story. Natsumi was the only one who had a room to herself—she wasn't ready to share a room with Ryo just yet. There was a guest room for when Rowen and Sage came to visit.

"I think it's cool that we were able to get such a good deal," Kento smiled.

"I still have some things I need to move in," Cye said.

"Anything I can help you with?" Hana offered.

"I just have a couple of books and some clothes, not much." Cye took a bite out of the burnt wiener. "Not bad."

"You lie," Hana said.

"It's just a little burnt. It's not like you charcoaled them."

Hana made a face and bit into her sandwich.

"You are awfully quiet, Natsumi," Ryo said, "Anything wrong?"

"Huh?" Natsumi looked at Ryo, and then shook her head. "I'm fine."

It had been a couple of months since Ryo and Natsumi started going out, but Ryo still knew when Natsumi was hiding something.

Natsumi fidgeted with the unopened bento box in her hands—she couldn't tell Ryo what was going on just yet. What would he do? What will she say?

A/N: Hooray on the new story. I hope you all like this chapter. Chapter two is currently being written. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Hana entered the house and set her backpack down on the kitchen table. She was the first one home which was nothing new to her; she normally came home with Natsumi, but being that Natsumi had something to do, she was alone. Hana grabbed a granny smith apple from the fruit bowl and slumped in a chair. She took a bite of the apple and chewed it slowly, enjoying the sourness.

"Ryo said Natsumi was acting funny," Hana said to herself. She swallowed and took a moment to think. "She seemed okay to me—then again, she didn't talk that much today."

Hana remembered seeing Natsumi receive a letter from a tall guy. They were on their way to class when he showed up. Hana thought he looked like a secret agent or something because he wore a black suite and black sunglasses. He definitely stood out. Natsumi's face dropped when she read the note; Hana could tell it had scared her. She asked if everything was okay, after the guy was gone. Natsumi smiled and told her it was nothing, but Hana was not convinced.

Who was that guy? What did he want with Natsumi? Hana got up from her seat, "If she's in danger, she should tell us." She grabbed her bag from the table and headed into the living room.

"Hello? Anyone home?!" Kento called, entering the house.

"Just me!" Hana answered from the living room.

Kento threw his bag on the kitchen floor and walked into the living room.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Not much," Hana said, having a seat on the leather couch. "I was going to watch TV."

Kento smirked and leaned against the wall. "I know something better that you can do."

"Like what?"

"Help me with my English essay. You said you would."

Hana smiled back. "Guess I did, huh?"

"Let's get to it!" Kento said, thrusting a fist in the air.

Hana laughed. "I never saw you this excited about homework before." She got up from her seat and followed Kento into the kitchen. "You threw your bag on the floor? What are you, five?"

Kento picked up his bag and laughed. "We'll do this in my room."

"Lead the way, oh mighty scholar."

*****

Natsumi sat down on a bench in a park. She smiled as she watched children run after one another. Her smile faded and she sighed heavily. She couldn't keep this up for much longer.

"Natsumi, please," pleaded a voice.

Natsumi turned her head and saw the man in the black suite standing next to her. She immediately got up, fear striking her. "Get away from me!" she shouted. People stopped what they were doing and stared at the two figures. Natsumi turned on her heel and started to run. She ran out of the park and down the sidewalk where a crowd of people were walking.

*****

"Tonight's dinner is going to be awesome," Ryo said, carrying a bag full of groceries.

"I agree. Don't forget that Hana is going to be the one making most of it," Cye said.

The two of them walked amongst the crowd with bags in their hands. Ryo stopped in his tracks, looking in front of him with wide eyes.

"Ryo? What's wrong?" Cye asked.

"Natsumi…" Ryo said.

Cye looked in front of him and saw Natsumi running toward them. She looked behind her and crashed into Ryo; who dropped the bag of food.

"Natsumi, what on earth-" Ryo started to ask.

"Ryo! Is anyone following me?" she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"No, Natsumi. No one is following you. What is going on?"

Natsumi didn't answer Ryo's question. She clung to him tightly and buried her face into his chest. He could feel his shirt getting damp as she silently cried. He wrapped his arms around her.

"It's okay," he said quietly. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Cye picked up the fallen bag and looked at his friend. "I'm going to go on ahead."

Ryo nodded. "We'll be home shortly."

Cye smiled and started walking, leaving his friends behind.

"Let's go sit somewhere," Ryo suggested.

Natsumi only nodded and let Ryo guide her somewhere away from the crowded sidewalk.

*****

They entered a different part of the park; the same park where Natsumi came from. Her body tensed as they walked the cemented path. They went across the grass and behind a bunch of bushes where they sat down.

Natsumi kept looking around; seeing if she saw the man again. Ryo took her chin in his hand, making her look at him. He leaned in and captured her lips with his. She could feel his tongue wander inside her mouth. He pulled away and looked at her with concerned eyes.

"What's going on, Natsumi? Why is someone following you?" he asked softly.

"I-I can't tell you," Natsumi said. She could feel tears forming in her eyes again.

He took her in his arms and embraced her tightly. "You've been acting weird lately. I can tell something isn't right. Why won't you tell me?" He could feel her shoulders start to shake. "You're not alone. We can help you."

"It's something I have to do alone," she choked.

Ryo wiped the tears from her face. "I hate seeing you like this." He pushed her down onto the grass, his body on top of hers.

"Ryo? What are-"

Ryo pressed his lips passionately against Natsumi's. Their tongues danced with one another as her arms wrapped around his neck. He pulled away and started sucking the side of her neck. She moaned softly at the feeling. He moved his hand under her shirt and started to massage one of her breasts. She cupped her hand over her mouth to prevent her from moaning loudly. She could feel her panties getting wet. "R-Ryo, we should stop," she said in a shaky voice.

Ryo stopped what he was doing and looked down at her. "I'm sorry, Natsumi. I got carried away." He got off her and sat up, his cheeks red.

"It's okay," she said reassuringly. "It's just that, we are out here in public. It wouldn't be wise to have sex here." Ryo didn't say anything and just sat there, feeling the blood rush to his face. Natsumi leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Ryo cleared his throat and stood up. "Ready to go home?"

Natsumi smiled and got up as well. She blushed a little bit as she felt the wetness between her legs. "Y-yeah. I think Cye said that Hana would be making dinner tonight."

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to seeing how she did."

Ryo smiled. "I'm glad." He took her hand in his and the two of them walked out of the park.

*****

"Smells good," Cye said. Hana was busy cutting up the remaining carrots while Cye added the meat to the pot.

"It's not that hard," she said as she added the carrots. "I'm having a lot of fun." She smiled at Cye.

"I'm glad." He bent down and kissed her on the lips. "We just need to let it sit for a while." He put a lid on the pot and stretched his arms.

"What do we do now?"

"We wait."

"We wait, huh?" Hana smirked and grabbed Cye's wrist.

"What is it, Hana?" Cye asked as she dragged him out of the kitchen.

"Hey, Kento!" Hana yelled.

"What is it?" Kento asked from the living room. He was busy flipping through the channels on the TV.

"Can you watch the stove for us?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," he said.

"Thank you!" Hana continued to drag Cye behind her until they got to their bedroom.

"What do you have in mind, Hana?" Cye asked—as if he had no idea.

"You'll see," she said. She opened the door and shoved Cye onto the bed. She closed the bedroom door, inserting a piece of paper in between the cracks, and then straddled Cye between her legs. She bent down and kissed him on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. She could already feel his erection underneath his pants. She smiled against the kiss and pulled away. She took off her shirt and bra and pressed her chest against his. He moaned softly and flipped her over, so he could be on top.

"We haven't done this in a while," he said huskily as he took off his shirt.

"No, we haven't," she agreed. "It's been tough living on our own. You have a job now, so I hardly see you."

"Good thing I'm off today," he smiled. He grabbed one of her breasts and started to massage it in his hand; relishing the look on her face.

"That feels good," she moaned. He smiled and took her breast in his mouth, swirling his tongue around her nipple. She moaned and grabbed his head in her hands. He pulled away, making her whine in protest.

"Don't worry, love. I'll make sure I give you what you want." Cye removed his pants and boxers, exposing his erected penis. He unzipped her jeans and removed them along with her undergarments. "I see you are ready for me."

"Don't tease me, Cye," Hana said.

Cye smiled as he applied a condom and slowly entered her depths. She moaned as he filled her completely. He moved slowly, feeling her insides clamp around him.

"God…" Cye choked as he began to move faster.

Hana met his thrusts and moaned his name loudly. She could feel her end building.

"Cye… faster…"

Cye obeyed and increased his thrusts, going deeper into her. Cye leaned in and kissed her as he felt her clamp around him hard. She screamed into his mouth as her body shook violently. He grunted and released his seed. He fell on top of her, panting hard.

"That… was too… fast," Hana said in disappointment.

"It's okay… Hana," Cye panted. "We haven't done it in a while. It's… only natural."

Hana pouted and got under the covers.

"Are you mad?" Cye asked, his breathing becoming even.

"I'm mad at myself," she said.

Cye rubbed her back and shook his head. "Don't be mad. Next time it'll be better."

Hana looked at Cye and just smiled.

"Hey, guys? The stew in the pot was boiling over and-" Natsumi stopped where she was and shrieked. She quickly shut the door and buried her face in her hands. "I'M SO SORRY!"

"What's up, Natsumi?" Ryo asked in alarm.

"I just walked in on them!" Natsumi cried.

"What?"

Cye opened the door, wearing his clothes again. "It's okay, Natsumi," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I am so embarrassed!" Natsumi moved away from Cye's hand and ran to her room.

"Was there paper between where the door locks?" Ryo asked.

"Yes. Hana put it there," Cye answered.

"Natsumi doesn't know about that. She's hardly home."

Cye's eyebrows furrowed as he walked into the living room. Kento was still sitting on the couch. "Why didn't you warn Natsumi not to go into our room?"

"I didn't think she would," Kento said. "Was there-"

"Yes, Kento, there was," Cye said, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Natsumi doesn't know about the piece of paper," Ryo said.

"So, she walked in on you guys?" Kento asked.

"Yes," Cye replied.

"I'm sorry, man," Kento said. "I did check on the food. It wasn't boiling over when I saw it."

Cye took a deep breath through his nose. "It's okay, Kento."

"I feel bad that I didn't let her know," Kento said.

"It happens," Ryo said.

Hana walked into the living room; wearing a new set of clothes. "Where's Natsumi?" she asked.

"She ran up to her room," Ryo said.

Hana walked up the stairs and stopped at the first door to the left. She could hear sobbing on the other side of the door. "Natsumi? I'm coming in," Hana said. She opened the door to find Natsumi on her bed. She had her pillow covering her face. Hana sat down next to her and hugged her tightly. "It's okay, Natsumi. Things like this happen when you live with a couple. You and Ryo should know, right?"

Natsumi blushed at Hana's words and shook her head. "I can't believe I did it though."

Hana removed the pillow from her face and smiled. "Well, now you know what the piece of paper means."

Natsumi hiccupped and wiped the tears from her face. "I'm sorry."

"Think nothing of it. We need to get an actual sign or something. Now come on. Dinner should be ready and I am hungry."

Hana got off the bed and held out a hand to Natsumi. She hesitated for a moment, but then grabbed Hana's hand and the two of them walked down the stairs together.

A/N: Ugh! I think my sex scenes are dying. Pffh. I hope you like my new story so far. Please review it so I know people like it. I'm kind of going through a phase where I hate my writing. It happens.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

**A/N: The girl called Syara is not my character. She belongs to Halogazer. I'm just using her in my story for fun. **

The alarm went off; it was eight-o-clock in the morning. Rowen reached over and hit the OFF button. He sat up groggily and stretched his arms over his head. He brushed a few strands of blue hair from his face.

"Morning comes too fast," he said sleepily and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

He walked over to the window and pulled back the curtains; shielding his eyes from the sun's rays as it filled the room. Vehicles were on the move as Rowen looked out his window. People flooded the sidewalks below. Sure, New York City wasn't like Tokyo, but there was always action. He got dressed, brushed his teeth, hair and made his way downstairs. The scent of bacon filled the air as he got closer to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Rowen."

Rowen turned around and came face to face with a Chinese girl. "Hello, Huan," he said as he stared into her emerald green eyes. She was dressed in her pink waitress uniform and had her forest green hair up in buns on each side of her head. He always thought she looked cute when she had them in.

Chin, who was Kento's uncle, took Huan in. He was close with her family, but a tragedy happened, leaving Huan alone. Her family was brutally murdered by some crazy person. Apparently the person had a grudge against her father, who was a business man. Luckily, Huan was out of the house when it happened. Despite the events that had occurred in her life, she moved on with a smile on her face.

"You're off from school today, right?" she asked in her soprano voice.

"Yes, I am," Rowen answered.

"Then why are you up? You usually sleep until eleven."

Rowen stood there with an expression like he had forgotten something. "Why am I up early?"

Huan laughed and took hold of his arm. "I was in the middle of making breakfast. You are just in time."

"Great because I'm hungry." The two of them walked into the kitchen. The table was already set with plates, forks and knives. The smell of bacon made his mouth water. "Now I remember why I got up early," he said as he took a seat at the table.

"Really?" Huan asked.

"Huan, let's go on a date," Rowen said as he watched her flip the bacon over.

"A date? But I have work," she said nervously.

Rowen got up from his seat and walked over to her. She stopped flipping the bacon as she felt him behind her.

"Huan, look at me," Rowen said softly. She turned around and looked into his blue eyes; they were soft and sincere. He cupped her face between his hands. "You work too hard. You need a break."

"I-I take breaks," she stammered. The room suddenly felt like it got fifty degrees hotter.

"A _real_ break," he said and captured her lips. Her eyes widened as she felt his tongue roam over her lips. She parted them slowly; feeling his tongue wiggle into her mouth.

"I see you two are getting along," Chin said as he entered the kitchen. "But I would watch the stove."

Huan broke the kiss and turned her attention to the stove. The bacon was burnt on some of the sides. Her face was bright red as she put the slices on a plate.

"Rowen asked you out?" Chin asked, getting milk out.

"H-he did," she squeaked.

"Then you have my permission. Go out and have some fun." Chin winked at Rowen; who smiled at him with his cheeks pink. He walked over to the table and sat down, pouring milk into a glass. "So, Rowen, what are the plans for the day?"

"I was thinking about heading down to Time Square for a bit," Rowen said with his cheeks still red. He sat down next to Chin then looked at Huan. "You up to it, Huan?"

She jumped a little at the sound of her name. "T-that's fine," she stammered. She walked over to where the two men were sitting and placed the plate of bacon in the middle of the table.

"Looks good," Chin said as he took a slice. "Sounds like fun."

"I-I'll make some eggs," Huan said as she went to the fridge. She took out a carton of a dozen eggs and started to crack them into a bowl.

Chin let out a hearty laugh. "Ah, young love."

Huan and Rowen both turned beet-red as Chin continued to laugh.

*****

"You sure you are okay with this?" Rowen asked. He and Huan were both walking on the sidewalk. They took a taxi to Time Square where it was even busier than where they came from. "You didn't have to agree." Rowen then laughed at himself. It wasn't like she had much of a choice in the matter. He did spring a surprise kiss on her— and it wasn't on the cheek.

"It's okay, Rowen," Huan smiled. "I haven't been down here in a while anyway. It's good to be here." Huan's face dropped as she looked at the ground. "But I…"

"What is it?" Rowen looked at Huan with concern etched on his face.

"I wonder how the restaurant is doing without me."

Rowen laughed and took Huan's hand in his. "I'm sure they are doing just fine. Chin has other workers, you know. You deserve a day off."

Huan smiled weakly and tightened her grip on Rowen's hand. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere you want to go."

"There is this scarf place I used to go to."

"Well then, let's go."

Huan's smile grew. "I'll show you where it is." She tugged on Rowen's arm and guided him to a small shop that was a couple of blocks from where they were. There was a small stand outside the shop that held boxes containing jewelry. They walked into the shop that had a funny smell to it—Rowen couldn't quite put his finger on the scent. There were hats and scarves on the walls on each side of him.

Huan picked up a baby pink colored scarf and wrapped it around her neck. She walked over to a full length mirror and twisted her body in different poses. "You like?" she asked, turning to Rowen who was standing a few feet away from her.

"It suits you," he commented as he walked up to her. "Do you want it?"

Huan looked at him with wide eyes. "I can pay for it."

"Nonsense. We are out on a date and I think it's only fitting if I get you something." He unwrapped the silky scarf from her neck and walked over to the register. There was a middle-aged African American standing behind the counter with a smile on his face.

"Rowen, you don't have to," Huan said.

"I told you it's fine," Rowen said as he handed her the bag containing her present. She took the bag with a pout on her face and followed Rowen out of the store.

"Where do you want to go now?" he asked. He looked down at her; she was still pouting. He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Stop with the faces. I am happy that I got you something."

She looked into his blue eyes and sighed. "I guess there is no arguing with you, is there?"

"Not when I already did my deed."

She took the scarf out of the bag and put it on. "Let's go to Central Park for a bit."

"That sounds like a good idea. I haven't been there actually," Rowen confessed. "I haven't been here long enough to explore all of New York City. I am grateful that Chin offered me to stay with him when I am in school. It's a very nice place here."

Huan smiled and raised her hand. A taxi came to a halt in front of them. "Central Park, please," she said as she got in. The driver nodded and took off to a different part of the city.

*****

They got to the park within minutes. It was vast and beautiful; different flowers were planted in different sections. It gave off a warm, welcoming feeling as they entered the area. Children were over by the jungle gyms playing as their parents watched them from afar. Rowen and Huan sat on one of the many benches that were there.

"It's so big," Rowen said.

"It's a great place to come and relax," Huan smiled. She looked over at Rowen for a second then turned her attention to what was in front of her.

"What is it?" he asked, looking at her.

"I heard you talking to Chin about going back to Japan," she said, there was a hint of sadness in her voice.

Rowen sat there for a moment. She wasn't supposed to hear about that for a while. "I will be going back there, yes. I would like to visit my father and mother and see how they are fairing. I also have friends who I would like to see as well. They are like my family as well."

"You talk about them quite a bit," Huan recalled.

"They were actually my first real friends. When I was in school, I didn't have many friends. That is, until I met them on that fateful day…" Rowen trailed off and remembered the day when they all met for the very first time.

"I'm going to miss you."

Rowen took Huan's face in his hands and gently kissed her on the lips. "I'll miss you too. I will be back before you know it."

Huan blushed and hugged him tightly around the waist. He hugged her back and looked up at the sky. _'I wonder how everyone is doing right now.'_

*****

"So, how did you do on your last test?"

"I passed with an A. Nothing out of the ordinary," Sage responded. He looked at his dark-haired friend. "What about you, Hiroto?"

Hiroto leaned back in his chair. The two of them were in the library working on their reports for their history class. "I got a B, but I'm sure my parents won't be happy with it even though I passed."

"Are they that harsh about your grades?" Sage questioned.

"My mom is more than my dad. He says that as long as I am passing, it's fine. My mom, however, wants me to be on top. It's too much pressure."

"I guess I can relate, but pressure is something I've grown accustomed to."

Hiroto looked at Sage, confused. I guess it was true that Sage was used to pressure because he always seemed so calm; even when things got hectic. He only knew the blond-haired man for only a short time. They were in the same history class and started talking about random stuff one day.

Hiroto looked at the paper that had all the requirements for the report. "How much will we be graded on this?" Hiroto asked as he studied the sheet of paper in his hand.

"About forty percent," Sage answered as he jotted down notes in his notebook.

"That's almost half! Aw, man!" Hiroto slumped in his seat and took a deep breath through his nose. "Tests are one thing; reports are a whole different story."

"You'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say."

"I see you two are working hard." The two men looked up to see a girl with light brown hair standing over them. "I knew I would find you guys here."

"Hello, Syara. How are you?" Hiroto asked.

"I'm doing okay. Kind of tired to tell you the truth," she said as she took a seat next to Sage.

"Did you get enough sleep last night?" Sage asked. He turned to look into her teal eyes. Now that she was sitting right next to him, he could see dark circles under her eyes. His face went from calm to worry.

"I had a big test today, so I kind of pulled an all-nighter," Syara confessed.

Hiroto's watched beeped, indicating that he had to go to his next class. "Time passes way too quickly when you are not in the classroom," he said as he turned the alarm off. "Well, I'm off to my next class. See you guys around."

The two of them waved as Hiroto made his way out of the library. Sage turned his attention to Syara, who yawned behind her hand. He brushed his hand over her cheek and leaned in closer to her.

"I'm sorry, Sage," she apologized. "I know how much you hate it when I do these things."

He brushed his lips against hers and pulled away. "It's bad for your health too."

"I know it is, but I really need to pass this class."

Sage closed his book and got up from his seat. "Let's go for a walk."

Syara smiled and got up as well. The two of them exited the library and into the bright sunshine. The air was warm and the breeze felt nice. They passed by the Literature building and the Science building. Students were relaxing on the grass under the trees.

"We have a break coming up," Sage mentioned. "It'll be good for you to relax just like those students over there."

"You are going to see your friends over the break, aren't you?" Syara asked.

"Yes I am. Would you like to come?" he asked, looking at her. "I remember you mentioning that you've met Rowen before."

Syara smiled to herself. "We were childhood friends. I was only with him for a short time, but we became close quickly. I moved to Kyoto and never saw him again. I would love to see what he's like now."

"Then it's settled. You are coming with me to meet my friends and to be reunited with Rowen. I'm sure he'll be surprised to see you again."

"He goes to school in America now, right?"

"Yeah. He got this scholarship to study abroad. I talk to him every once in a while but it's kind of hard because of the time difference. Last time I talked to him he said that he was seeing someone."

"He got himself a girlfriend? That's great!"

Sage chuckled and put his arm around Syara. "He said that he was coming back to visit, so I knew I had to ask you if you wanted to come with me."

"I can't wait."

*****

"AUGH!" Hana threw the pen down and collapsed on the kitchen table. Newspaper pages were scattered all over the surface.

"What in the world is going on?" Kento asked as he entered the kitchen with an empty bowl in his hand.

"I am looking for a job," Hana said with her head on the table.

"A job?" he asked dumbfounded.

"Don't sound so surprised, Kento," she said, picking up her head and looking at him. "You all work to make payments for this place and here I am, doing nothing. I want to put in my share."

Kento grinned and put his hands on his hips. "You could've asked me sooner. My mom is looking for people to work for her at the restaurant."

"Really?!" Hana's face lit up and a smile spread across her face.

"Yeah. I'll give her a call and set you up."

"Thank you, Kento!"

"Don't mention it."

Kento exited the room, leaving Hana alone. She sighed and gathered the papers on the table into a single pile.

"What's going on, Hana?" Natsumi asked as she entered the house.

"Oh. Hi, Natsumi. I was looking for a job, but Kento said that he'll hook me up. Hey! You don't have a job, right?" Hana asked.

"Not at the moment," Natsumi answered.

"Would you like one?"

"I guess it wouldn't hurt. It would make things easier on me."

"Easier?"

"I-it's nothing."

Hana stared at Natsumi for a moment then got up from her seat at the table. "I'll go tell Kento about you too."

"That'll be great."

Hana smiled and left the room. Natsumi put her purse down on the counter and looked out the kitchen window.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Hana flushed as she hung over the toilet. She got up slowly and exited the bathroom stall she was in. Natsumi was standing against the wall; concern was etched on her delicate face.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I'm feeling better," Hana said as she washed her hands. "I'm not feeling shaky and I don't have the chills."

Natsumi walked up to Hana and pressed a hand against her forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever either. What is going on?"

"I don't know. My stomach started acting up as soon as we got to work this morning."

"Are you okay, dear?" Mrs. Rei Fuan asked as she entered the bathroom.

"Yes, I am. Thank you, Mama Fuan," Hana said as she dried off her hands. "I would like to return to work."

"I think you should go home and get some rest," Mrs. Rei Fuan suggested.

Hana merely shook her head. "I feel fine. Plus, it's only my second day and I…" Hana placed a hand on her head as she felt herself fall to the floor.

"Hana!" Natsumi cried out. She caught her falling friend before she hit her head on the tiled floor.

"She has to go home," Mrs. Rei Fuan said sternly. "Don't worry about work today."

"I understand," Natsumi said. She hoisted Hana up and guided her out of the bathroom.

*****

"There you go little buddies," Cye said softly as he poured flakes into a huge tank.

"Hey, Cye!"

Cye looked down from where he was and saw a blond-haired man standing by the ladder he was on. "What's up, Youta?"

"The new medicine shipment is in," he said as he pointed to the large boxes that were stacked against the far wall.

"Great. Umi hasn't been looking very well," Cye said as he descended to the ground.

"You really love that whale, don't you?" Youta asked.

Cye smiled and nodded. "That whale means a lot to me. More than you know." Cye took Hana to see Umi on their third date. Ever since she returned to him, they would go see the whale from time to time together.

Youta laughed and patted Cye on the back; bring him out of his stupor. "You have a huge heart for sea creatures, my friend. I like that part about you."

Cye laughed along with his co-worker until he noticed his boss walking toward him.

"What's up, Mr. Akita?" Cye asked.

"You have a phone call, Cye. It's about Hana," Akita said. "Sounds like something happened."

Cye felt his stomach drop as he raced to where the phone was. He picked up the phone with shaky hands. "Hello?"

"Cye? It's Natsumi," she said on the other line. "Hana collapsed at work."

"Is she alright?" he demanded. He could feel his heartbeat increase.

"She's fine right now. She's eating some noodles in the kitchen."

"What's going on, Natsumi?"

"I don't know, Cye. When we got to work she was fine, then she felt sick to her stomach. She felt fine after being sick and started working, but then she felt ill again. I took her home after she collapsed and when she woke up she said that she felt a wave of dizziness."

"I'm coming home." There was silence on the other line. "Natsumi?"

"I'm here, Cye. Hana went to the bathroom."

"Tell her I'm on my way." Cye hung up the phone and walked out to find Akita and Youta standing outside of the office. "Mr. Akita..."

"Go ahead, Cye. We'll be fine here," Mr. Akita said with a smile. "Go take care of your girlfriend."

"Thank you very much," Cye said and headed out of the building.

*****

"I'm fine," Hana said exasperatingly.

"No, you're not," Kento said as he followed Hana back into the kitchen where she began to eat her noodles. "Something is up with you."

"I appreciate your concern, but I feel fine now," Hana said with irritation in her voice.

"If you think about it, she doesn't have a fever and she had that one dizzy spell," Ryo mentioned.

"And she's eating normal; her appetite hasn't changed," Natsumi added. Ryo and Kento looked at her with confused faces. "You know when you get sick; you don't feel like eating because the sound of food makes you nauseous?"

"Yeah, you do have a point," Ryo said.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Hana said. She took another mouthful of noodles then dropped her chopsticks. "Excuse me." She ran into the bathroom and closed the door.

Natsumi sighed and got up from her seat and headed toward the closed bathroom door.

"Hana?!" Cye asked as he burst through the front door. "Where is she?"

"Bathroom," Ryo said. "I'm going to go and get some things for the house." He shut the front door behind him, leaving Kento and Ryo alone in the kitchen.

Cye sat down in a chair and ran his hand through his bangs. "What's going on, Kento?"

"I have no idea," Kento answered, sitting down next to his friend. "If you ask me, I think she's pregnant."

Cye looked at Kento with horror in his eyes. "What?"

"If you think about it, she doesn't have a fever and she has waves of sickness. Not to mention her eating habits haven't changed even though she's been sick."

"T-that doesn't mean anything," Cye stammered.

"Maybe not. I'm just guessing." Kento looked at Cye. "Have you ever thought about marrying her?"

"Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?"

"What if she is? What are you going to do?"

Cye sat there and thought about the possibilities. "If… if she is… pregnant,"—he fought to get the last word out—"then I will be there for her. I want to marry her, but it's too soon. That doesn't mean I will reject her if she is pregnant."

"Didn't think you would," Kento said and then smiled.

"Oh, Cye, you're home," Hana said as she entered the kitchen again.

Cye got up from his seat and walked up to her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Hana said with a smile.

Cye removed some hair that was stuck to her face. "You don't seem fine." He took her hand and pulled her toward their bedroom. "I want you to rest."

Kento got up from his seat and walked over to Natsumi. "Hey."

"What's up, Kento? You have a serious look on your face. It doesn't suit you," Natsumi said.

"Go get a pregnancy test," he said.

"What?"

"I think Hana is pregnant and I think Cye does too. We need to be certain."

"W-wait a minute… how can…"

"I got her into bed," Cye said as he walked toward the two. "What's going on?"

"I-I need to talk to Hana," Natsumi said frantically as she ran to the room Hana was in.

"You told Natsumi, didn't you?" Cye asked.

"It's the only way we can be sure," Kento said softly.

*****

Natsumi knocked on the door before entering. Hana was sitting up in bed, reading a book. It was going to be awkward bringing the subject up, but she had to know.

"Hey, Hana? I have a question to ask you," Natsumi said as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"What's up?" Hana asked, putting down the book.

"When was the last time you had your period?" she asked.

"My… period?"

Natsumi's cheeks turned pink as she nodded. "I need to know."

"Well, I should have gotten it…" Hana trailed off and then gasped. "I'm a week late!"

Natsumi turned to Hana with wide eyes. "A week?!"

"Well I did spot, so I didn't think…" Hana felt a lump form in her throat. "You think I'm pregnant?"

"Kento and Cye do," Natsumi said slowly.

"My god." Hana could feel her body start to shake as tears rolled down her face.

"Hana, please don't cry. I'm not even sure it's that. We need to take a test. I'm going to go get one and then we'll see." Natsumi smiled confidently and got up. "I'll come back as soon as possible."

*****

She left the room and walked into the living room. Cye and Kento were sitting on the couch, not saying a word to one another.

"I'm going to get the test. Cye, you might want to go to Hana. She's pretty upset right now," Natsumi said.

Cye stood up and walked up to her. "What did you say to her?"

"I simply asked her a few questions. She said that she was a week late for her period. It doesn't look good," Natsumi said.

"Okay. I'll make sure she calms down for when you return."

Natsumi nodded headed upstairs to her room where she got her purse.

*****

Cye entered the bedroom, finding Hana lying on her side in their bed. Her hands were covering her face and her breathing was shaky. He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Don't be upset, Hana," he said soothingly. He rubbed her back as he heard her sob quietly.

"How can… you be so calm at a time like this?" she asked, not moving from where she was.

"I'm just as nervous as you are, trust me," he said. Cye took a deep breath and moved Hana so she was on her back. Her eyes were puffy, red and the tears wouldn't halt. "We aren't certain yet and it was only a thought."

"A scary thought." Hana wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.

Cye lay down with her and wrapped his arms around her body. "If you are, then we'll do what we can. I'm not going to abandon you and I mean it."

More tears formed in her eyes as she cried again. "I… I don't want to have a baby."

Cye hugged her tightly and pressed his lips against her forehead. His eyes shot open and he pulled away from her. "Hana, are you feeling okay?"

"Why? You know that I've been sick all day today."

"Your forehead feels hot." Cye got out of bed and raced out of the room. He walked quickly to the bathroom and got the thermometer out of the cabinet. He returned, shaking the stick in his hand. "Put this under your tongue. I think you have a fever." Hana did what she was told and the two of them waited for the results.

"What's going on?" Kento asked as walked into the room. "I saw you dash out of here."

"Feel Hana's head, Kento," Cye instructed.

Kento gave Cye a confusing look, but did what he was told. He pressed his big hand against Hana's forehead. He took a moment and then pressed his other hand on his own. "She feels a little hot, but I can't really tell."

Cye took the thermometer from Hana and looked at it. "One hundred and two."

"You're sick," Kento said.

"But I feel fine…" Hana paused and then hopped out of bed. She raced out of the room and closed the bathroom door.

"Maybe she isn't pregnant," Kento said.

"Maybe, but that doesn't explain why she's late on her period. We still need to be sure. I'm going to make a doctor's appointment," Cye said.

The two men walked into the kitchen where Cye dialed the number to their doctor.

*****

Natsumi wandered the supermarket. She had traveled up and down each aisle and told each employee that she was fine. She didn't want to ask them where they kept their pregnancy tests. It was too embarrassing. What was also embarrassing was that, she was a woman herself and even she didn't know where to look. She finally got to where the store kept the condoms and she saw what she was looking for. She picked up a box and hurriedly made her way out of the aisle.

"Maybe I should have asked someone to come with me," she said as she felt her face get hot. Natsumi turned a corner and came to a complete stop. The man in the black suit was standing in front of her. She swallowed hard and backed way, feeling the fear creep up in her. "S-stay away. I don't think you would want me to make a scene in this place." The man didn't budge from where he stood. She took another step back and then made her way to a different part of the store. She looked back and saw that the man wasn't chasing after her. She slowed down and started to walk again. She could feel her heart beating against her ribcage. How did he find her here? Then again, he did have a knack in finding her when she didn't want to be found.

"Natsumi?"

She turned her head and saw Ryo standing with a basket full of groceries.

"Thank God you are here, Ryo," she said as she walked over to him.

"What's going on?" He noticed that she was breathing hard and her face had a red tint to it.

"I-it's nothing." Natsumi tucked some of her light brown hair behind her ear and looked to her left.

"Something is going on." Ryo set the basket down and put his hands on her shoulders. Natsumi looked into his tiger-blue eyes. "You've been acting weird lately. Actually, it's been going on for about a month now."

"I'm fine, really." She showed him the pink box that contained the test. "I was a little embarrassed being here alone while I purchased this."

"What's that for? You're not pregnant are you? I mean, we haven't-"

Natsumi pressed her index finger on Ryo's lips and shook her head. "Hana might be."

"Hana? You think?"

"We don't know for sure. That's why I'm getting this." She looked down at the basket full of food. "You done?"

"Yeah. Let's head back home so we can give the test to Hana."

Natsumi smiled gently and started walking to the registers.

"Natsumi?"

She stopped walking and turned to see Ryo following behind her. "Yes?"

"Was that why you looked so frazzled? You were embarrassed?" He knew that she would lie to him, but in a way, he knew that she was embarrassed too.

"Yes, Ryo. That's why I was glad to see you."

*****

Ryo and Natsumi walked into the house to the sound of Hana in the bathroom. Natsumi walked into the living room to find Kento sitting on the couch with the volume up high. He looked at her as she sat down next to him.

"Well," Kento said as he turned the volume down and looked at Natsumi, "Hana has a fever and she's been in and out of the bathroom for almost an hour. I don't think she's pregnant."

"So, she was sick all along?" Ryo asked. He was leaning against the entrance to the room; looking at the closed bathroom door. "Is Cye with her?"

Kento nodded and turned off the T.V. "He made an appointment with the doctor. They are going tomorrow."

Cye emerged from the bathroom and entered the living room. "Hana wants to take the test now," he said as he ran his fingers through his auburn hair.

"But she's sick," Kento said.

"She just wants to be sure," Cye said softly. "It's still bugging her and she cries every so often." He sighed and dropped into the armchair. "She told me she didn't want a baby."

"I'm sure she means not right now," Ryo said reassuringly. "She's pretty shaken up from what I've heard. Give her time."

Cye nodded and smiled at his friends. "Thank you guys, for being here."

"Anytime buddy," Kento smiled.

*****

Natsumi peered into the bathroom to find Hana lying on the cool tiled floor. Her hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail and she had on a t-shirt and shorts. She invited herself in and opened the box that was in her hand.

"Cye?" Hana asked wearily, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"It's me, Hana," Natsumi answered.

"Hey, Natsumi," she smiled. "Get the test?"

"Yes, but you need to get up in order to take it." Natsumi read the instructions on the box and handed the device to Hana; who got up and was on the toilet. "You just have to urinate on the stick."

"That's nice."

Natsumi waited until Hana was done with her business. She told Hana that if there were two lines, it meant she was pregnant. The two waited until the results were in. Hana sighed in relief and leaned against the back of the toilet. She wrapped the stick with toilet paper and threw it in the trash bin.

"That's good to know," Natsumi said as she washed her hands.

"Yeah. I'm going to have to see my gynecologist either way," Hana said. "I need to find out what's going on with my period."

"Don't sweat it right now. Just focus on what's going on tomorrow. Cye said that he made you an appointment to see your doctor."

"I know he did." Illness plagued her once again and she found herself burying her head into the toilet. Natsumi took the washcloth that was on the counter and drenched it with ice cold water. She rested the cloth on Hana's neck and rubbed her back. It was going to be a long night.

*****

"How are you feeling?" Natsumi asked as she walked into the bedroom with a bowl of soup.

"I'm feeling much better," Hana said with a smile.

"Mama Fuan gave me some of her famous soup. She said that it would make you feel better."

"She's such a good woman."

"I agree. So, the doctor said that it was a virus?" Natsumi set the bowl in front of Hana and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Hana laughed and took a spoonful of the soup in her mouth. "Yeah. He said that they had cases of what I went through all week. Apparently you seem fine and then you feel like you've been hit by a two ton truck.

"You've been in bed for two days."

"He said that's to be expected."

Natsumi didn't say anything and just watched as Hana devoured the soup that was in the bowl. It didn't surprise her; Hana mostly slept for the two days and hardly ate. She looked to Hana's side and saw a beat up looking bear that was half buried under the blanket.

"You sleep with a teddy bear?" Natsumi asked as she took it in her hands. It had stains on its fur and one of the eyes was missing; the fur was all battered up and worn.

"I've had that guy since I was little," Hana answered.

"Your parents gave it to you…"

Hana set the bowl on the nightstand and looked at Natsumi. She looked at the bear with sadness in her eyes. "What's going through your mind, Natsumi?"

"You told me, a while back, that you lost your family to evil, am I right?"

"You are correct."

"But you kept this bear with you?"

Hana shifted in the bed to get comfortable. "When I moved out of my house, I took that bear with me. Even though I only saw my parents every so often, I felt comfort in that plush toy when I was gone. Akui's spirits could shape-shift, so one of them turned into me. He would send the copy of me to my family so they wouldn't suspect my absence."

"He let you see them?"

"Like once every two weeks or so."

"What was your family like?"

"My mom was a teacher at the college we attend to right now. She was a music teacher. She loved music and I think that's where my little sister, Aika, got it from. Aika always listened to music and she loved to play the violin. She told me at one point that her goal was to play every instrument that was known to man. It was a pretty big goal and I couldn't help but laugh. She was five years younger than me. I had a twin brother who was older than me by two minutes. His name was Ken. We would always get into fights, but we both loved each other. He was on the basketball team at our school. My dad was an engineer. He was hard on me at times, especially during my last year in middle school, but he meant well. He would always come home with a smile on his face."

Hana wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened during your final year in middle school?"

Hana's face grew hard as she looked at her hands that were on her lap. "I was a rebel; at least, that's what some people called me. Others said I was a bully. It didn't matter to me because I didn't care. I skipped classes, picked on people and occasionally beat them up. I would go out and come home really late. That drove my parents insane, especially my dad. I met this one girl named Sakiko on the roof of our school. She asked me what my reason was to be up there. Looking at her, I told her that I was fed up with school and life. She had this evil smirk on her face when she heard my answer. From that day on, she and I would hang out together. We went to stores to shoplift, hung out at the park, and other things. The one thing I did not do, was drugs or drink. She did all that."

"Did your parents know about her?" Natsumi asked curiously.

"Yeah, they knew. My mom tried to reason with me and my dad had forbidden me to go see her. Of course, I didn't listen. At the time, my brother didn't want anything to do with me. At one point, I scared Aika because of my outbursts. You have no idea how many times I got scolded by my dad. Sakiko set me up at one point during all this. She was outraged with one of her teachers and she told me she was going to get him back. She never told me the reason. All she said to me was that she needed my help. We broke into his house late at night. She started taking anything she could get her hands on. I was on the lookout. I heard a noise and told her he was coming. She gave me that evil smirk and told me good luck. She ditched and before I could, he caught me. He was an old man in his late sixties and I told him what had happened; somehow, he forgave me. I wasn't off the hook just because he forgave me. My parents were told about the incident and I was grounded. That didn't stop me from sneaking out at night."

"Geez," Natsumi said in disbelief. Hana didn't seem like the type of person who could do all that. She didn't say anything more and just listened.

"It gets worse. A couple of days after the incident at the teacher's house, I started collecting weird things: old looking torches, candles, statues, you name it. It was at that point, Shijisha made herself known. She was able to take over my body, but not for long periods of time. All the stuff I gathered was for the awakening of Akui. I met Sakiko at the park one night. She was with a couple of friends. I was enraged and started yelling at her."

Hana's hands turned into fists and her lips were a thin line. "I hated her for what she did. She totally used me and —I was dumb enough to even listen to her in the first place! We got into a fist fight, but I lost. She laughed along with her friends and they left me there on the ground. I went home only to find Ken waiting for me on the stoop. I met his gaze and he slapped me across the face. I asked him why he did that. He told me mom was ill and I was the reason why she was in bad shape. He informed me that she was in the hospital and that dad and Aika were there. She got sick and then collapsed. The doctor's said it was because she was over-stressed. I don't really know what happened, but I dropped to my knees and started crying."

Hana paused and swallowed a huge lump that was forming in her throat. In her head, she could still see the scene. An oxygen mask was placed over her mother's nose and mouth. IV tubes were in both of her arms. She had dark circles under her eyes and she looked white as a ghost. Hana could feel tears brimming beneath her eyes. She wiped them away before they could fall down her face.

"I went to see her and apologized over and over. My mom just smiled and said that it was okay. I didn't understand and told her that she should be angry. She said that she still loved me and that she would always forgive. I stopped my rebellious act and started attending my classes. My mom was out of the hospital the next couple of weeks. Even though I changed back, I still went out at night.

"To bring Akui back."

Hana nodded. "I think the reason why I went though that phase, was because Shijisha was getting stronger. I'm not really sure, but in the end, I failed." Hana closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. "I can't believe I told you all that. I've been trying to block that out of my memory."

"You're strong though, unlike me."

Hana raised her head and looked at her friend. "What?"

"With everything you have gone through, you still go on smiling. You've faced many obstacles head on. With me, I'm always running. I'm a coward."

Hana put a hand on Natsumi's shoulder. "You _are_ strong and you have changed so much since we first met. I'm sure you still look back at the past and feel bad, but you keep living. That's something. You smile and your confidence seems to grow each day. Being able to move takes strength. I'm not someone who doesn't have regrets because I have many. There are times where I just break down and sometimes, I give up on myself."

"Well, I don't feel confident or strong. Running has always seemed natural."

"Then you have to take the bull by the horns and say enough is enough."

"Enough?"

"Look, I have no idea what is going on, but you can make a difference. It's your life. Take the courage that I know you have and use it."

Natsumi gave Hana her bear back and smiled. "Thank you, Hana."

"For what?"

"For talking with me and telling me your story."

Hana looked at her with a confused face. "You're very welcome."

"Do you really not want kids? Cye told us what you said."

Hana was taken aback by the words that came out of Natsumi's mouth. "Not right now. I hope I didn't make him feel bad."

Natsumi shook her head. "I'm sure he knows the answer. What about marriage?"

"Marriage?"

"Would you accept?"

A smile formed across Hana's face; a warm feeling filled her chest. "Of course I would and when the time comes, I want you to be my maid of honor."

"Me?" Natsumi's eyes grew wide in shock. "Why not Mia? You've known her the longest."

"Mia is great, but you and I have a bond that's stronger than what she and I have."A single tear fell down Natsumi's cheek. "Are you okay?"

Natsumi nodded and wiped the tear from her face. "No one has ever said that to me before. I'm just happy."

Hana hugged Natsumi tightly. "I'm glad."

*****

"Man, does it feel good not to be sick," Hana said as she swung her backpack over her shoulder. "I'm going to see the gynecologist and then I'll head to school."

"Sounds good to me," Kento said. "I'll finally get my extra credit essay back. It's been weeks since I handed it in."

"I'll be looking forward to seeing what grade you got."

"I hope I did well."

"Where's Natsumi?"

"We have no idea," Ryo said, his brows furrowed.

"What? What do you mean you have no idea?" Hana demanded.

"It's just as he said," Cye said, staying calm. "She did leave us a note." Cye held up a single piece of paper that had Natsumi's penmanship on it. She grabbed the sheet of paper from him; panic was etched on her face as she read the note.

_Everyone,_

_Please do not worry about me. I'm going to do what I should have done a long time ago. I'm sorry that I didn't inform you all properly. I should be home sometime later tonight. _

_With love,_

_Natsumi_

Hana crumpled the paper in her fist before slamming it down on the table. "What does this mean?!"

"I don't know, but I have a feeling it's something she didn't want us knowing about," Kento said uneasily.

Hana glared at the bearer of Hardrock before sighing. Cye put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I'm sure she's fine."

"I know but…" Hana trailed off. She had a funny feeling that something dangerous was going to happen.

*****

Natsumi walked through the park on the cemented path. It was quiet and the air was heavy on humidity. Her nerves were rattling in her body as she waited patiently. She didn't have to wait long, for the man in the black suit started walking toward her. He stopped a few feet from her and the two of them stared at each other. Natsumi took a deep breath and her eyes became hard.

"Take me to see him, Tim," she said in a cold voice.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Do you like your eggs?" Tim asked from across the table.

"They're fine," Natsumi said nonchalantly.

The two of them stopped at a nearby diner to have breakfast. It was the first time in months since they actually talked to one another. There were so many things he wanted to ask her. He already knew the reason why she left the house in the first place. He watched as the nineteen year old moved her eggs on her plate. She was nervous, which was understandable. A small smile broke out across his face. He could tell that she had changed and for the better; just the fact that she agreed to this, showed great promise.

"You finished?" he asked her.

Natsumi snapped out of her stupor and looked around. She completely forgot she was in a diner. She turned to face Tim and nodded slowly. He smiled softly and called the waiter over for the bill. He placed some money on the table and then drew his attention to her once again.

"Are we ready?" she asked softly.

"What's the rush? I know for a fact that you are in no hurry." The table seemed to catch Natsumi's interest as she stared down upon it. "In the course of the past few months, I've noticed you've changed."

"What?" Natsumi asked befuddled. She now had Tim's undivided attention. So, he was watching her from a distance after all.

"You seem more confident and you don't seem to be the shy little girl I once knew." Natsumi blushed and averted her gaze from him. "You made a lot of friends too. Is that girl who I saw you with close to you?"

"Hana?"

"Is she the one with the black hair?"

A gentle smile formed across her face. "She's my best friend."

Tim chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder from across the table. "That's great news, Natsumi." Tim checked his wristwatch and got up. "I think it's about time we go." The smile that once dominated his features was gone. Natsumi slowly got up from her seat and followed Tim as he headed toward his car.

Hana couldn't concentrate at all during her first few classes. All she could think about was Natsumi and her letter. Natsumi never missed school, no matter what the circumstances were. Ryo was just as distracted as she was. On their way into the school, he dropped his school books and bumped into at least two people. And yet, despite his clumsiness, he seemed calm enough. Did he really believe everything was going to be okay? Was she just worrying herself for nothing and Natsumi was just out on one of her errands; the ones she usually did after school? No. For some odd reason, Hana knew this was different.

"Miss. Suzuki?" Hana looked up to find her teacher standing next to her. "Class is over."

She looked around and found herself the only one left in the classroom. Her cheeks turned pink as got up from her seat. "I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Honda," she said as she gathered her things.

"It's not like you to daze off into space," Mrs. Honda said. "Is there something wrong?"

"There are a lot of things happening right now in my life," Hana replied, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Thank you for your concern. I'm sure things will be fine by tomorrow."

"Okay," she said in a soft voice. "Take care."

Hana said goodbye to her English teacher and then existed the classroom. Ryo was leaning up against the wall by the doorway when she entered the hallway.

"You're worried about Natsumi, aren't you?" she asked. She didn't even have to look at the man's face to know it was plagued with worry. Ryo didn't say anything and just stood there, looking at the floor; hands in his jean's pockets. Hana sighed and joined him against the wall to avoid collisions. "And here I thought you believed everything would turn out okay."

"I can't help but worry," he said in a monotone voice. "She's my girlfriend after all."

She smiled and looked up at him. "You really do love her, don't you?"

"I love her with all my heart, Hana. You know that." She didn't say anything else and just watched as other students passed by them. She envied them in some way; laughing and talking about things normal students talk about. A small smile formed across her lips. Everyone had problems they had to deal with, but she wasn't a normal person anymore. Ryo and his friends were far from normal; ever since they got their armors and were battling evil since they were fourteen years old. She felt Ryo shift his body. His brows were furrowed and his face was hard when she looked up at him.

"Ryo?" she asked. His hands were out of the pockets and into fists. "What is it?"

"Let's take a walk," he firmly.

"Okay." Hana followed Ryo out of the Literature building and out into the warm weather. She looked up at the sky and saw dark clouds hovering over them. Was it a sign that something bad was going to happen? Ryo stopped walking; making Hana bump right into him. She looked at his back with worry. "What going on, Ryo?"

"I'm a fool, Hana," he said, his voice breaking.

"What do you mean? You're not a fool," she said as she walked to his side. She looked up at him, worried. His teeth were clenched hard together and his eyes had pain in them.

"I knew she was lying to me when I asked if there was anything wrong. I didn't want to put more pressure on her, so I just let it slide. Now I'm afraid she's in danger and there is _nothing_ I can do about it!" He punched a nearby tree with his fist. Hana stood where she was. She never saw him in this state before. It made her heart ache to see her friend in so much pain. She wrapped her arms around Ryo's body and held him close to her.

"It's okay," she said soothingly. "You are not a fool and we all did the same thing. We didn't question her and just let her do things on her own." She waited for a response but didn't hear anything. "I don't know what else to say…"

Ryo wrapped his arms around her tightly. The two of them stood there in embrace as the dark clouds moved in from above.

Tim stopped in front of a house. Natsumi looked out the passenger window. It was the same white house with the green shutters she left a couple of months ago. The garden her mother planted was in full bloom. At least _he_ tended to it, which made her happy, but the place was something she feared. Tim got out of the car with Natsumi following suit. The two of them walked up the paved walkway and stopped at the front door. Tim glanced at her before opening it. She slowly walked inside and looked around as if she was expecting something.

The scent of lilacs filled the air; it was her mother's favorite flower. She continued down the hall. The walls were covered with paintings that her mother did. There were no pictures of her; only a portrait of her that her mother painted when she was five years old. She passed the staircase and came to a halt in front of two French doors.

The nerves in her body were acting up in a fast pace; her heart pounding hard against her ribcage. She didn't even have to look to know that Tim was standing behind her. It felt like old times, but today was going to be different. At least she hoped. With a shaky hand, she turned the door knob and opened the door slowly. Step by step she entered the dimly lit room. The door closed behind her and she could hear Tim locking it from the outside. Candles were lit around the room. She knew this room very well. There were no windows, so it was always dark; no matter what time of day it was. There was a marble fireplace against the wall facing the entrance.

Above the fireplace was a portrait of her mother. Natsumi took a moment to observe the picture. She looked just like her mother. She was beautiful in the painting. A sun dress of bright yellow and her light brown wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders. Her hazel eyes made Natsumi feel at ease. It soon ended when she heard someone clear their throat. Her eyes fell upon a single armchair. The chair was occupied by a man. He was facing the fireplace that was not in use. Cold sweat started to form on her forehead.

"You came at last, Natsumi," said the man. His voice was low and calm. Natsumi didn't dare answer. She knew better than to speak when she wasn't told to. "Why did you avoid Tim? Me?" He didn't move from his seat. Her hands became sweaty as she clenched and unclenched them. The man sighed. "Speak child."

"F-father I-" she stammered. Her voice came out raspy as if she hadn't spoken for a whole year. She didn't know what to say to him.

Her father rose from his seat and made his way to her. His expression was indifferent. He towered over her; his eyes meeting hers. "It's impolite not to answer the question," he said.

Fear made its way down her spine as she thought of an answer. "I-" The words got caught in her throat and she was frozen in place.

"Spit it out!" he demanded, his voice rising.

"I didn't want to see you!" She gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth.

Her father chuckled. "I see." It was silent— too silent. Natsumi's body became tense as she looked at the figure standing before her. His lips became a single thin line, his eyes wide with rage. He slapped her hard across the face, making her lose her balance. She fell hard onto the waxed wooden floor.

She placed a hand over her burning cheek. She let her guard down; it was obvious that he was going to strike. Stupid.

"What an ungrateful child I have," he spat.

Natsumi got on her knees and bowed; her entire body shaking.

"I'm sorry, Father." She wasn't ready to see him and now it was too late. Tim always made sure the doors were locked when she had meetings with her father. There was no escape.

Her father grabbed her by the hair and brought her to her feet. She cried out and looked straight into her father's Persian blue eyes. The same blue eyes she inherited. "Where have you been?" he asked sternly.

She could smell alcohol on his breath. "I-I'm not going to tell you," she said quietly, averting her gaze from him. He growled and threw her down on the floor.

"Your mother always did what she was told!" He kicked her in the stomach, making her scream. "She knew how to follow the rules! _My _rules." He continued to kick her body until tears ran down her face. Pain coursed through her as she struggled to sit up.

"I-I'm not my mother… and I'll never be," Natsumi sobbed as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"You're right," he said with a smirk. "Your mother was brave, smart and could do anything. You are a weakling that came out of her body!" He kicked Natsumi hard in the stomach, causing her to go unconscious on the floor. He stood up and looked down at her bruised body. "I'll be back and by then, you better tell me where you've been."

Tim opened the door and walked into the room. "Aric, don't you think you went too far?"

"You feel bad for her?" Aric asked.

"You know I do," Tim said, staring straight into his older brother's eyes.

Aric scoffed and walked out of the room. "Make sure the doors are locked. I'll deal with her later."

Tim merely nodded, walked out and closed the door.

"What did the doctor say about your condition," Kento asked.

"She said it was stress that prolonged it," Hana answered as she shoved rice in her mouth. She looked over at Cye, who was looking over his bento she made for him. She swallowed and scowled. "I know the sushi isn't right, but can you at least say something?"

"It's fine, Hana," Cye smiled. "I'm just looking at your work."

"You know what the worst part is? I know you're lying."

"I'm not lying," Cye laughed and kissed her on the cheek. "Calm down and eat."

Hana smiled and looked at Ryo who was just staring at his food. The smile faded just as quickly as it came. "Ryo…"

"I'm sure she's fine, buddy," Kento said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I wish I could believe you," Ryo said. "But I have this feeling she's in danger."

"I know what you mean, but we can't do anything right now," Cye said. "I'm sure she'll be home when we get there."

Hana moved her fried egg with the white rice in her box. She too had a funny feeling, but didn't want to tell anyone. There was something going on with Natsumi and she swore it had something to do with the guy she saw her friend with. She just hoped she was wrong with the feeling she had.

"_**Mommy!" Natsumi yelled. She ran as fast as her little legs could go. The scorching sand burned the bottoms of her bare feet, but she didn't pay much attention to it. The sun seemed to be smiling down at the six-year-old dressed in her pink bikini with white poked dots. "Mommy! Guess what?!" she shouted excitedly. **_

_**Mai turned around and smiled. Her yellow sundress blew gracefully in the wind; the waves of her light brown hair danced along. She bent down with arms opened wide. Natsumi laughed as she went into her mother's embrace. She pulled away and grinned.**_

"_**Mommy, I saw a tiny crab in the sand by the water! It used its claws to go under the sand!" Natsumi exclaimed, her eyes beaming with excitement. "Isn't that cool?!"**_

"_**Very cool," Mai smiled.**_

"_**Do you think Daddy will think so?"**_

_**Mai's smile softened. "I'm sure he will."**_

"_**Daddy's been gone for a long time. He doesn't say hello to me when he calls."**_

"_**He's been very busy, sweetheart. You are usually sleeping when he calls, but he does bring you home presents." Mai bent down and kissed Natsumi's forehead. "He loves you… very much."**_

"_**I love him too!" Natsumi grinned. **_

_**Mai watched as her daughter skipped off. A lone tear slid down her cheek; a sad expression plaguing her features.**_

Natsumi groaned as she came to. She blinked until her vision was clear from the blurriness. Wincing, she sat up and looked around. Her abdomen was sore from where her father had kicked her earlier. She didn't even have to move to know that the doors were locked. Trapped like a rat, that's what she was. Sweat ran down her face. Taking one of her hands, she wiped her face dry. Slowly, she got to her feet; her arm wrapped around her mid-section. She slowly walked over to where the portrait of her mother was. Staring up at it, she recalled the dream she had a moment ago. It was the last summer she spent with her mother. The last time they went to the beach together.

"I vaguely remember that day," Natsumi said to herself. "I don't remember seeing my mother cry. Why was she sad?" Her body stiffened when she heard the doorknob turn. She swallowed and braced herself for whatever came through that door. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when she saw Tim walk inside the room. He walked and stopped a few feet away from her.

"I see you are up. How are you feeling?" he asked quietly, worry was plastered on his face.

"Fine," she said in a soft voice.

Tim sighed and smiled. "That's a relief. I was so worried about you."

Natsumi averted her gaze from him. Anger started to build from within her. "If you were so worried about me, you should have stopped him," she said coldly. She gasped at the tone of voice she used. She hardly ever used such a tone before; except for when she was working with evil. Natsumi shook her head at the bad thought. Then again, she did use the same tone for when she demanded Tim to bring her to her father.

"You know I can't," he said sadly. "I'm not strong like you."

Natsumi's eyes grew wide as stared at her Uncle incredulously. "Who's strong? Certainly you don't mean me."

"But you are. You have gotten so much stronger since I last got to talk to you."

Natsumi scoffed and sat down on the floor; her other arm never leaving its place. "I'm not strong. If I were, I wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Tim smiled and knelt down so he was at eye level with her. "It's because you are here, that makes you strong. You are here to make a difference. That shows great promise in my eyes. Don't lose hope."

"Are you done, Tim?" Aric asked from the doorway. His arms were crossed over his chest as he watched the two of them.

Tim stood up and looked at his brother from across the room. "Yes, Aric. I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? I said you could see her." Aric made his way towards the two slowly. "You can leave now. I would like to have more time with my daughter."

Tim looked at Natsumi before nodding. He made his way to the twin doors and locked them inside the dimly lit room. Natsumi stood where she was; the fear was building up once again. Aric walked towards her until he was only inches from her body. He looked down and stared at the hand that was holding her side. With his right hand, he pulled it away; a cry came out of Natsumi's mouth.

"Strong huh? Strong people can take the pain," Aric said nonchalantly. Natsumi whimpered with both hands at her sides.

"Let's try this again, shall we? Where were you all this time?" Her father's voice was clam, but it still had a tint of venom in it. She swallowed and stood her ground. "I asked you a question."

"I-I'm not going to tell you," Natsumi said quietly.

Her father grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her towards him. "You brat! Is this how you treat me after all these years of taking care of you?!" His voice was no longer calm; his roaring voice was now bouncing off the walls of the windowless room.

"You… never took care of me. All you did was beat me and tell me how useless I am," Natsumi said in her normal tone.

Aric growled and threw her at the armchair. Natsumi hit the chair with a loud thud, making the chair fall over onto the floor. "I fed you, gave you a home to go to!" He kicked her wound, making her scream in pain. "Is this how you repay me?! Ignoring me?! You ungrateful wrench!"

Natsumi turned her body on its side, only to find a pocket knife in her father's hand. Her eyes went wide as she tried to get up. He was going to finish her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to crawl away from him.

"I knew from the day your mother died that you would be nothing to me," Aric said calmly as he followed his injured daughter.

"Father, stop! This is crazy!" Natsumi shouted.

"Now you are calling me crazy?" Aric chuckled to himself as he caught up to her. With his left foot he stepped on her ankle hard. Natsumi frantically moved, trying to escape. She twisted her foot, making her cry out. "Now see what you did?" He grabbed her by the neck with one hand; the other hand still holding the knife.

"Father… please," Natsumi cried. "Please don't do this."

"I tried to reason with you, my dear," Aric said in a low voice. Natsumi cried out as she felt the knife cut the flesh on her arm. "You just didn't want to cooperate."

Tears rolled down Natsumi's cheeks as she looked at her father. His eyes were small and dark; no expression was on his face. She closed her eyes as she thought about her friends and about Ryo. They were most likely worried about her. Why did she do this? How could she be called strong when she was about to be killed by her own father?

"_You have to take the bull by the horns and say enough is enough."_

Natsumi eyes flew open as she remembered her conversation with Hana.

"Aric! What are you doing?!" Tim yelled from the doorway. "Are you insane?! Let her go!" He ran toward his older brother and his niece.

"Stay out of this! I'm going to get rid of this waste once and for all!" Aric took the knife and aimed it at Natsumi's neck.

"No, Father. Enough is enough," Natsumi said softly. She winced as she grabbed the knife's blade with her hand. Blood dripped onto the wooden floor underneath her.

"Aric, no!" Tim cried as he saw the blood.

She took the knife and threw it across the room. "I'm not afraid of you anymore."Aric looked at his daughter with disbelief; his grip on her lessened. She removed herself from his grasp and looked at him in the eyes. "I'm sick and tired of this life. I don't want to be a part of it anymore. I have a new life with people I love." She looked at Tim and smiled. She then turned and looked at Aric with a stern look. "I'm leaving and never coming back."

"Y-you can't do that!" Aric yelled. "You are my daughter!"

Nastumi shook her head. "Not anymore I'm not." She turned and started toward the twin doors.

"Stop! I command you to stop!" Aric yelled.

Natsumi closed her eyes and ran out of the room. She bit her lip as she felt the pain of the wounds she had received. Her ankle was killing her, but that didn't stop her from dashing out of the house and into the rain. She ran down the street and stopped behind a bush where she vomited. She sobbed quietly as the rain washed away the blood from her wounds. Her body jerked when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to find Tim standing next to her.

"Come on," he said gently. "Let's get you home and tend to those wounds." He helped her up slowly and guided her to his car. Her clothes were soaked to the bone which didn't make the leather seating any more comfortable. He buckled her up and turned the car on. "I know where you live now. I'll take you there." He looked at the wounded girl before driving off down the street.


End file.
